Aeroplane.



J. F. KINNEY.

AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED FEB 16. I911 1,296,528.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I JOHN F. mmvnmor rrmvnsonnr msns;

AEROPLANE.

Application filed February 16, 1917. Serial No. 1 19,064.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that 1, JOHN F. KINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Humboldt, in the county of Allen and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes or flying machines of the heavierthan-air class, the object of the invention being to provide a machine having novel means for maintaining automatic stability, thus securing safety in flight and allowing the pilot or aviator to have free use of his hands, when desired, for performing operations other than the direct work of controlling the machine, such as taking observations or gathering other data, firing a gun, sending or receiving wireless messages, etc.

A further object of the invention is to provide an aeroplane which is light, strong and durable in construction, capable of attaining high speed, and which is therefore adapted for military use, commercialand other purposes, wherein the employement of a fast travelingand good load carrying machine is required, and which may embody any suitable type of base to adapt it for land vor marine use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction} combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a flying machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a'vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 45 is a sectional plan view on the line 4. 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5(is a diagrammatic perspective view of the lateral stabilizing gear.

"Fig. 6 is a'diagrammatic prespective view of the longitudinal steering and stabilizing gear.

Fig detail. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the main frame of the machine, which may consist, as ordinarily, of the upper and'lower plane frames of a biplane structure, together with the connecting stanchions or struts, the machine structure shown in the present instance be- 7 shows the propeller and clutch in Specification of Letters Patent,

' Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

ing of the biplane type andincluding the upper and lower supporting planes 2 and 3. The main frame, with its supporting surface, ismounted upon a suitable forward under-carriage or launching and alighting 7 structure shown in the present instance as consisting of a base frame work 1 carrying skids or pontoons 5 and suitably cushioned wheels 6. In addition to the fore-carriage, constructed as above described, I provide the machine with a tail frame 7 of suitable construction carrying a supporting wheel 8 arranged at or adjacent tothe front end of the tail frame, and a rear skid or pontoon 9, arranged at a point just in rear of the transverse'center ofsaid tail frame. In the present instance I have particularly illustrated the use of pontoons in place of skidsor runners, to render the machine capable of alighting upon, traveling along and ascending from a body of water. The tail frame is reinforced from the main frame by suitable braces 10'and carries'arear hori- 7 zontal rudder orelevatorll and a vertical rudder l2, which are pivoted to swing in respective planes at right angles each to each in the usual manner. a

The supporting surfaces 2 and 3 may be i of a suitableaggregate supporting area and curved to present a desired angle of incidence, and preferably, as shown, the upper surface 2 is arranged partially in advance ofthe lower surface 3, so as to obtain an in creased degree of longitudinal stability in flight. The'machineis driven by a tractor propeller 13 which is mounted upon a shaft 14 adapted to be thrown into and out of connection with the shaft 15 of a driving lever 18 is arranged in proximity to the aviators seat 19 which is disposed upon the main frame at a point below the trailing edge of the upper plane 2 and-inrearofthe leading edgeof the lower plane 3', so that the weight of the aviator will be properly' disposed with relation to'thecenters of gravity and pressureof the machine to assist in securinga maximum degree of nor- 'mal poise or stab1l1ty.'

The rudders 11 and '12 are'connected by means of setsof control wires 20 and '21 Y with control levers-22 and r 23, pivotally mounted upon the main frame to swing in a fore-and-aft direction, whereby said rudders may be conveniently operated. The rudder 11 is also adapted to be actuated by an automatic control device consisting of a Weighted pendulum lever 22 mounted to swing upon the underside of the main frame in a fore-and-aft direction and having a crank 23 connection with a rod 23 which is connected with the'control lever 22. When.

the machine is in normal flight and properly balanced in the longitudinal direction, the lever 22 is maintained by gravity in its normal position with respect to the gliding structure, but when the machine tilts unduly either forward or backward the lever 22, in maintaining a fixed perpendicular position, establishes relative longitudinal motion in one direction or the other whereb the control lever'22 is operated automat1- cally to adjust the elevator or horizontal rudder 11 to bring the machine back to a normally balanced position. The aviator may also, through the medium ofthe lever .22, operate the elevator or horizontal rudder to manually control the machine for an upand-down steering action and'for malntainin r longitudinal stability.

k uitably arranged at the ends of the supporting. surface .areailerons or balancing planes 24 which are mounted to swing vertically 011 horizontal transverse axes extending perpendicular to the line of flight, and these ailerons or balancing planesare connected by means-of pitman rods 25 with cranks 26 upon rock shafts 27 which are provided with other crank arms 28 pivotally coupled to the opposite endsof a sliding rod or shaft'29. Thisrod or shaft29 is disposed vat the rear of the main frameand-is slidably mounted formovementin a direction transverse to the line of flightin anti-frlotion-guides or bearings 30, the intermediate portion of said rod being slidably and piv- I otally connected to the upper end of a weighted pendulum lever 31, which is mounted to swing in afore-and-aft direction.

. The connections between the sliding rod and respective ailerons are such that when the ailerons are disposed in a normal or neutral position the weightedlever 31 will be CllS- I posed and maintained by gravity in a per- .pendicular position, .which position it will always assume, but when the machinetilts lat-erally -in' one direction or the other a relative motion between the lever and shaft and rod or shaft will be established, whereby the rod or shaft will be-moved in one direction or the other, thus depressing the ailerons at the lower-side of the machine and raising the aileron at the high sidei'of themachine,

-.;so"as to respectively obtain lifting and def pressing;actions at'the-opposite sides of the machine to;retu;rn .-the same to a normally "balanced position. This operation will be rack 35, whereby the locking device may he V projected or retracted and locked in'either position. When projected the locking/device will engage the lever 31 and-hold the same from swinging movements, so that said lever may be maintained in a'neutral position in which the ailerons lie at a neutral angle, allowing the aviator to fix the ailerons against automatic movement when the motor accidentally stops and it is necessary to vol plane to earth or to perform other evolutions in which it is necessary or desired totemporarily dispense with the lateral controlling devices. In cases of emergency the lever may be operated by hand to adjust the ailerons for a manual controlling action.- 7

It will be seen that by moving the; lever 32 into a partial engaged position of thedivergent extensions, the controlling connection of the lever 31 maybe restricted. to any desired degree, the lever 31 being locked ,in

.the particular position when desired by'engaging the dog 34 with therack35.

From the foregoing description,,taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode ofoperation'of my improved I.

. aeroplane will be. readily understood; and; it will be seen that the invention provides an aeroplane which embodies simple and effective means for automatically maintaining both longitudinal and lateral stability thereof, so that when desired the" aviatorfmay allowthe machine to runfree fromnianual control without material danger ,of accident, and so as to permit him to'have'freelluse of his hands in making. observations, .collectmg and lnscriblng data, firlng agun-orperforming other services requiring the use of both hands at a time.- Also'it will be'seen that as the weights are also located-and proportioned asto perfectly balance the ma--- chine, a useful loadweightof' quite aconsiderable amount maybe carried at a low resistance and high speed, thus adapting the machine for military, postal and express service where both speed and loadcarrying capacity are desired; factors. l or thepurpose of controlling themachine in launching and landing, brake devices. 38 maybe provided to act upon the w heels.6,1and these 7 brake devices mayv becontro'lled suitable.-

connections from a foot lever; 39 arranged so as to be conveniently operated by the aviator, whereby the brakes may be set and released in a ready and convenient manner.

I claim V 1. The combination with the controlling surfaces of an aeroplane, of a weighted lever, means whereby said lever is adapted for controlling said surfaces, and manually operable means adapted for movement to a plurality of operative positions to restrict said lever to a desired range of action, said manually operable means adapted to permit free controlling action of the lever Within the particular range of action.

2. The combination with the controlling surfaces of an aeroplane, of a weighted lever, means whereby said lever is adapted for controlling said surfaces, manually operable means adapted for movement to a plurality of operative positions to restrict said lever to a desired range of action, said manually operable means adapted to permit free controlling action of the lever within the particular range of action, and means for looking said lever in any one of said positions.

3. The combination with the controlling surfaces of an aeroplane, of a pendulum, means whereby said pendulums are adapted for governing said controlling surfaces, a manually actuated lever disposed in proximity to said pendulum, divergent extensions on said lever adapted to be projected into the path of said pendulum to limitthe movements of the pendulum, and means for looking said lever in any one of a plurality of positions whereby such limitation will be effective to a desired degree.

4. The combination with the controlling surfaces of an aeroplane, of a pendulum, means whereby saidpendulum is adapted for controlling said surfaces, and a manually operable lever having divergent extensions adapted to be projected into the path of movement of the pendulum to limit the controlling action of the pendulum to a desired 1 degree.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN F. KINNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained ior five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

